La Grande Vitae

October 20, 2012

Tonight I joined two others on the sidewalk praying the
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary at 320 Fulton. Christ came to purify, unite,
rule, transfigure, and sustain us. Why do we resist Him? Why not let Him
fashion us into His image? Why not come to Him and be healed? This is why we
pray at 320 Fulton; we want to be healed- and not just the healing of abortion.
We want to be more like Him. We want to be purged of sin and sanctified. We
want to enter into familial bond with one another. We want to be ruled and
directed so that our feet do not stumble and our path to Calvary made sure. We
want to become holy as Our Father in heaven is holy. We want to be intimately
joined to the Bridegroom who gives us all of Himself in total and perfect love
continually. That kind of healing, of a Divine Physician, is the antidote to
abortion. That kind of healing only comes through prayer & fasting. That
kind of healing takes a people ready and willing to be healed.

Therefore we lead others by example. We want the women who
come to 320 to follow us to Jesus; let us show them the way! Let them see with
what ardor we desire their health, wellbeing, and salvation. Fittingly, I came
to meditate on the day the Church celebrates St. Luke, the physician who
testified that indeed our Jesus is a healer; our Jesus is a God who honors
women and has written in their bodies the genius of creation; our Jesus comes
to us as a little baby prepared to be immolated by our sin. This Jesus invites
all of us who are His Bride to participate in the healing of abortion by fully
giving ourselves to Him, just as he has fully given Himself to us. The miracle
of creation takes place in the heart before it takes place in the womb; let the
destruction of abortion be unwritten there through our gift of self-immolation
on behalf of those cherished most of all by God. Give your heart to the Eternal
Healer. Pray to Luke the Evangelist for those who consider themselves
physicians but are really the opposite; may they be enlightened with the
Gospel. Dear and Glorious Luke, whose name means Light, ask Christ to shine his
favor on us as we join Him in offering love where before there had existed only
sin. May all who oppose the will of God be reconciled to the Lord through His
steadfast mercy.

The more I studied the Theology of the Body
and took a look at human sexuality through the lens of millenia-old
Christian teaching, the more the problems of contraceptive culture came
into relief. I noticed that with abstinence-based methods of child
spacing like Natural Family Planning, there remains a mental and
physical openness to the potential for new life. Couples may try to
avoid pregnancy, and may even be able to do so with a high degree of accuracy, but there is always an acceptance that new life could be
created, an ever-present understanding that an inherent part of this
most sacred of human acts is a willingness to care for any new family
members God may give you through it. And, because it involves
abstinence, there is an inherent element of personal sacrifice. You live
daily with the reminder that life isn't about doing whatever you want,
whenever you want.

In contrast, I began to see that contraception tempts us to value human
life according to how it impacts us. Contraceptive culture tells us
that we're entitled to the pleasurable aspects of sexuality, even if we
reject any new life that could be created. It tells married couples that
we can and should exercise complete control over our fertility so that
we only add children to our families when we are one-hundred percent
certain that we want them -- in other words, to value other human
beings according to how they impact our own lives. Columnist Mark Steyn summed up this mindset well when he wrote in a 2006 article:

One consequence of abortion is that, in designating new life a matter
of "choice," it made it easier to make judgments about which lives are
worth it and which aren't...But it's foolish to think you can raise
entire populations to make self-interested judgments about who lives and
who doesn't and expect them to remain confined to three trimesters. The
"right to choose" is now being extended beyond the womb: the step from
convenience conception to convenience euthanasia is a short one, and the
step from convenience euthanasia to compulsory euthanasia shorter
still.

Though he was speaking specifically about abortion, this mentality of
"convenience conception" is rooted in the acceptance of contraception.
And we only need to look at history to see where this line of thinking
goes: Any time a society accepts it as true that it is okay to value
other human beings according to how much we want to deal with them,
there will always be death. At a minimum, it leads to spiritual death,
when people begin to live their lives closed to deep connections with
other humans, but there is usually also bodily death, as those who cramp
the lifestyles of those who are more powerful are gotten out of the way
once and for all. And thus we end up in a "culture of death."

April 16, 2012

Ms. Johnson had worked for Planned Parenthood for years, eventually
becoming director of the clinic. One day, while helping during an
ultrasound-guided abortion, she witnessed the end of life. Witnessing
it with her own eyes was the day of her conversion. She quit her job
and joined the Coalition for Life. It’s an amazing and emotional
story. But what struck me most was that the Coalition for Life had, for years, loved and prayed for her.
It was this love and these prayers that guided her eventual change of
heart. Had they been angry, violently standing up for what was right,
she likely would have shut them out. But their love in the face of her
opposition was remarkable. True charity.

Charity doesn’t mean you don’t stand up for what is right. But we
must be wise in the words we choose and the way we choose to say them.
Those Coalition for Life volunteers praying at the abortion clinic— just
praying, not debating, or arguing, or accusing— spoke clearly. They
spoke not just opposition to abortion, but also love for all that walked
through the clinic doors—love for the unborn child, women in crisis
pregnancies, as well as and those that worked at the clinic. This
surely is what Christ was speaking of in his call to love and prayer.

So here is Christ’s challenge to us all: Pray for those who
persecute us. Say I love you anyway and will be there if you need
help. Can we demonstrate the love of Christ in such a way that, in
spite of opposition, our actions stop people in their tracks and make
them wonder at our love? What feeds this love, what motivates this
love? I have a feeling that this love will inspire more conversions of
heart than anything else we can do.

April 12, 2012

March 14, 2012

Right to Life of Michigan applauds the passage of legislation in the Michigan House of Representatives designed to prevent women from being coerced to have an abortion against their will. Passing with strong,
bi-partisan votes of 72-37, the 5-bill package represents the most comprehensive abortion anti-coercion policy in the country.
The lead bill in the package, the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act (HB 4799), creates criminal penalties for actions or threats of violence, financial pressure, withdrawing housing support or employment
discrimination. Other bills in the package require that abortion clinics screen for coercion and domestic violence, and then provide appropriate referrals to facilitate an escape from the abusive situation. All abortion clinics also must post a sign informing women
of their rights under this law.
Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing thanked legislators for their leadership in protecting vulnerable women. "We are grateful House representatives have stepped forward to offer women
support and legal backing against this terrible form of coercion. No woman deserves to be forced into aborting her unborn child," Listing said.
As many as 64 percent of women who have abortions report feeling pressured. This pressure often rises to the level of coercion, as housing, university athletic scholarships, and other financial support
are used as leverage to force women to have abortions. Further studies reveal that in an alarming number of cases, coercion escalates into physical violence.
House approval of the bills caps 6 years of work to enact this protection for pregnant women and a favorable reception of the bills is expected in the Michigan Senate.

January 17, 2012

Eastern Avenue abortion clinic in Grand Rapids is now CLOSED
FOR GOOD!!!!!

God has heard the prayers of his people. ALLELUIA!!!

Now we continue to pray for the conversion of the people's
hearts who worked there to come to Jesus and that the Fulton Street clinic will
close in the year to come also.

Keep praying, keep fasting, keep praising and working for
LIFE!!

There's a party going on with all the angels and saints. Thank
you, JESUS!

Christ has no body but yours; no hands, no feet on earth
but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world;
yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands with
which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours
are the eyes, you are His body. Christ has no body now but yours; no hands, no
feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on
this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

January 10, 2012

I have submitted my application to national for the campaign beginning Feb.22 and it has received special attention. We will be praying that Planned Parenthood will not be opening its mega-facility at 1625 Opdyke in Auburn Hills, on the border with Pontiac. If they succeed, it will be the largest facility of its kind in Michigan. They will have easy access to their two target demographics: impoverished women in Pontiac and co-eds on the campus of Oakland University.

I will be coordinating the vigil in my hometown remotely from my headquarters in Alpena. Pray that God will send me leadership who can stand in the trenches. If you know of anyone in north Oakland County with staunch pro-life values who could help with this campaign, please give them my email address.

I'm praying that the walls of Jericho never go UP, and I have been assured that God has already won the victory, for it says in today's Psalm for Vespers:

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Oakland County Judge James Alexander, in a controversial decision, ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan’s interpretation of a deed restriction held by the Comfort Inn Suites essentially giving the abortion provider the green light to open an clinic in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The court’s ruling comes after a 14 month-long battle that pitted the abortion provider against Citizens for a Pro-life Society and other pro-life groups who worked to keep the Planned Parenthood building at 1625 N. Opdyke Road abortion free. In December 2010 Planned Parenthood purchased the Opdyke Road property that sits directly in front of a Comfort Inn Suites hotel. The hotel owners, in an attempt to prevent the clinic from opening in their front yard, threatened to enforce its 12 year-old deed restriction that limits the use of the Opdyke property to retail store, restaurant or office.

Planned Parenthood sued the hotel owners over the interpretation of the deed restriction language. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society spear-headed opposition to the opening of the clinic and for over a year the Planned Parenthood property has stood empty and silent while parties on both sides of this dispute battled the case in court—a case abortion opponents have been watching closely. See prolifesociety.com

Monica Migliorino Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society states: "We are filled with great sorrow and disappointment today. Judge Alexander’s ruling will lead to the killing of innocent human life when Planned Parenthood opens the doors of this clinic. We worked hard to stop the spread of abortion's injustice and hoped to spare Auburn Hills this place of death, lies and sorrow. We are sorry that the hotels in the direct vicinity of the Planned Parenthood building may have to share their business environment with the sordid practice of abortion. I know that the Comfort Inn hotel will appeal this case. And we remain undaunted. We will continue to fight the opening of this death center—and be a voice for those innocent unborn who cannot speak for themselves."

A Short History of this Case:

April 27, 2009: Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan CEO Lori Lamerand announces in Detroit News that PPMSM plans to open an abortion facility in Oakland County.

November 2010: Citizens for a Pro-life Society discovers that PPMSM purchased building at 1625 N. Opdyke Road in Auburn Hills, MI.

December 2010: CPLS launches protest against the establishment of the PPMSM abortion clinic in Auburn Hills beginning with 200 Oakland County residents jamming Auburn Hills City Council meeting Dec. 7, 2010.

With help from Dave Theisen of Real Estate for Life, CPLS talks to all business owners in close proximity to the PPMSM Opdyke Road property and discovers that the Comfort Inn Suites holds a deed restriction on the building purchased by Planned Parenthood.

CPLS learns that PPMSM attorneys at Dykema Gossett sent a letter to the Comfort Inn Suites hotel owners notifying them that they represent a possible purchaser who may want to open a “medical office.” Dykema Gossett did not disclose that their client was Planned Parenthood and that it intended to open a surgical treatment center—i.e. an abortion clinic.

PPMSM are notified that the Comfort Inn Suites will enforce their deed restriction.

PPMSM files lawsuit against the Comfort Inn Suites.

In the meantime numerous rallies, demonstrations and prayer vigils organized by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society joined by Central Oakland Right to Life, Michigan LifeSpan, and several local-area churches take place at the Opdyke Road property. The most recent CPLS demonstration took place Saturday, January 7, 2012.

PPMSM case is assigned to Oakland County Judge James Alexander. The first hearing takes place Sept. 7, 2011 and judge rules for a 60 day extension for discovery.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 court decision to decide future of the Planned Parenthood clinic. Whatever decision is made by Judge Alexander, it is expected that his ruling will be appealed.

January 05, 2012

January 2011: A youth organization lead by a former SFLA intern, Lila Rose, took their undercover work exposing Planned Parenthood a step further, releasing 7 videos of Planned Parenthood facilities, some that even receive federal taxpayer funding, aiding actors who were posing as human sex traffickers.

February 2011: The pro-life movement united in the “Expose Planned Parenthood” campaign, calling on Congress to de-fund Planned Parenthood of all taxpayer dollars. On Valentines’ Day, we took a stand and prayed and rallied in-front of hundreds of Planned Parenthood facilities. Then, for the first time in our nation’s history, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to federally de-fund Planned Parenthood. The vote caused so much turmoil in Washington, that the government almost shut down in March as the Senate refused to allow a vote on the issue. Instead of waiting for the federal government to act, numerous states like Indiana, New Hampshire, Texas, and Ohio have now gone on to de-fund Planned Parenthood facilities within their borders.

May 2011: The Gallup organization released a poll showing that for the first-time since they began polling on abortion, America is now pro-life.

August 2011: The Guttmacher Institute reported for the first 6 months of 2011, states enacted a record number of pro-life laws, more than 80, more than triple the 23 enacted in 2010. States like Nebraska, Idaho, and Ohio are three who have already enacted fetal pain laws that protect preborn children from abortion after 20 weeks. Arizona and Virginia have enacted a law to regulate abortion facilities, forcing them to comply with the same set of medical standards that other types of medical facilities must follow. And others like South Carolina and Texas passed ultrasound laws that require abortionists to mothers the opportunity to see her preborn child. All of these laws will reduce abortions, and they enjoy broad support with more than 60% of Americans supporting these laws.

September 2011: For the first timein it’s history, the U.S. House of Representatives launched a formal investigation into Planned Parenthood’s practices.

October 2011: The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protect Life Act, a bill voicing the will of the people not to fund any abortions in Obamacare whatsoever.

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About Us

We stand in prayerful solidarity with the fall 40 Days for Life campaign, which will take place from Sept. 26 thru Nov.4 in cities across the world. We stand on Woodward as God's family witnessing to a Culture of Life. We fast & pray for abortion to end where it begins, at sites like this Planned Parenthood in Ferndale. Join us every Friday as we Witness to the truth that all human life is sacred, wanted, and loved by God.